Gamethread: Arizona Wildcats and UCLA Bruins meet in Ahaheim
by K_Zim on Jan 5, 2012 8:00 PM PST
in Arizona Wildcats Basketball
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PrintArizona Wildcats at UCLA Bruins, Jan 5, 2012 8:00 PM PST
The last time the Arizona Wildcats were in the Honda Center in Ahaheim, Calif., Kemba Walker and company were stomped on their Final Four dreams. Against the UCLA Bruins at 9 p.m. MST at the venue that saw the Wildcats get back the Duke Blue Devils for the 2001 national championship game, the Wildcats get back on the winning track against a team that throttled them in the last game at the old Pauley Paviolion in the two teams' last meeting.
It was probably the worst game Arizona played last season -- I suppose getting smashed by BYU and Jimmer Fredette was on par with it as well -- but it was also a humbling tipping point that saw the Wildcat finish the regular season with a focus that bled into the Pac-10 Tournament and the NCAA tourney, too.
It won't be easy, and the uphill battle for the Wildcats starts and ends with match-up problems.
How will Sean Miller's small-ball crew deal with talented big man Joshua Smith along with the Wear twins? Can they deal with Lazeric Jones on the perimeter?
While the Bruins have lost their last two and are a disappointing 7-7 on the year (not to mention have dealt with internal issues like the dismissal of Reeves Nelson) the Wildcats will be in a battle.
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If you hadn't heard
Josh Smith is out with a concussion. and Josiah Turner is starting tonight at PG
Alec Sills-Trausch
@UofAlec
I am completely disguisted watching that first half
Let me make this clear UCLA is not beating us this game, we are beating ourselves.
-our defense looks completely reactive and not proactive at all.
-we are giving up way to many turnovers
-we are settling for contested shots rather than moving the ball
-all the praise i have been giving turner lately is being thrown out the window as he is trying to force plays and making mistakes again rather than just running the offense.
earlier in the season i didn't agree
but after his last few games I am okay with it. Hes a consistant shooter. He doesn’t give us the same physical abilities as some of the other guys, but he doesn’t make as many mistakes either. and at this point i will take those less mistakes
Thought Arizona would have terrible match-ups with UCLA all year
That was before Joshua Smith was out and Reeves Nelson was gone … This could be much worse.
Kevin Zimmerman
@offensivelyfoul
im just amazed watching this
I still feel that we are beating ourselves more than anything. This team just doesn’t look like the one i’ve been watching all year
More than 9 minutes left
Defense is coming back to form. They need to pull this one out as the Wildcats need every halfway decent victory possible.
Kevin Zimmerman
@offensivelyfoul
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